Astros rally past Angels

Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Huston Street blew a save chance for the second straight night, and this time the Angels did not bail him out.

The Astros scored three times in the ninth inning and pulled out a 3-2 victory Thursday to open a four-game AL West series.

Street, one day after squandering a lead against the Mariners, gave up back- to-back singles to open the ninth. Jake Marisnick cut the Astros' deficit in half, 2-1, with a one-out single, and Preston Tucker punched his first big- league hit to right field to tie the game.

After Jonathan Villar worked a walk to load the bases, Jose Altuve beat out a potential double-play ball to bring home the go-ahead run.

"Great win for us," Astros manager A. J. Hinch said. "We got quality at-bats in the end against their closer, and that's hard to do."

The rally took Collin McHugh off the hook. McHugh holds the longest active winning streak in the majors at 11 straight decisions and was in line for the loss after giving up two runs on five hits over 7 1/3 innings.

Pat Neshek (3-0) recorded the final two outs of the eighth to earn the win, and Luke Gregerson pitched a perfect ninth to record his seventh save and help the division-leading Astros snap a three-game skid.

Street (2-1) took the loss behind Hector Santiago, who allowed one hit over 6 1/3 scoreless frames. He masked four walks and two balks with five strikeouts.

"He used his secondary pitches really well," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of his starter. "He gave us a chance to win, and unfortunately we couldn't hold on to it for him in the end."

Mike Trout hit a solo homer, and Kole Calhoun added an RBI single for the Angels, who were coming off consecutive walk-off wins against Seattle.

Altuve led off the game with a base hit, and the only other time an Astros players reached base against Santiago came via a walk or error.

In bottom half of the first, Trout squared-up a 91 mph fastball and sent it to straightaway center field. Marisnick made a valiant effort with a leaping stab at the wall, but the ball was just out of his reach.

McHugh cruised through six following Trout's homer thanks to a pair of double- play balls, including a rare unassisted double play by a center fielder and a terrific turn by Altuve.

After stranding two in the seventh, McHugh gave up a leadoff double down the third-base line to Johnny Giavotella. He was pulled after walking Chris Iannetta, and Calhoun greeted Joe Thatcher with an RBI single.

The inning ended when Albert Pujols hit a sharp ground ball that hit Iannetta between second and third base.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Angels acquired infielder Ryan Jackson from the Royals in exchange for catcher Drew Butera ... Villar recorded two stolen bases ... Pujols accounted for two of the Angels' seven hits.